Bomb rack



G. H. LELAND Nov. 2O,l 1945.

BOMB RACK Nov. 20, 1945.

G, H. LELAND BOMB RACK Filed Feb. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 G50/m5 H EL A ND ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 20, 1945 `Iren stares Parr FMC 2- Claims.

This invention relates to a bomb rack, commonly called a bomb cluster adapter, and is in the nature of an improvementy upon the bomb racks shown in my pending applications for patent Serial. Nd 3683.86., led. December 3, 19.40., (Eatent No. 2,346,494, grantedv April. 11,. 19.44.), and. Serial No. 41LL83L1, led IQctoloer 13, 19.41 (Patent No.w 2,379,364, granted. June 25, 1945). A bomb cluster of this typeis adapted. to. be detachably supported.by` anaircraft and released.y therefrom for downward movement with. relation thereto and includes iiexible. means, suchv as a band, for normally retaining, a cluster of bombs in predetermined positions-.and means controlled by the downward movement of the cluster for loosening. the retaining means or band and releasingf the bombs for separate movement.

One` object of the invention is tofprovide-such a bombvrack: with a mechanical band connecting and loosening device of a; character which will insurethe proper loosening offtheband'when4 the cluster of bombs fallsfrom the. aircraft.

A' furtherl object of' the invention. is torprovide abomb rack with a band loosening devicewhich, when released, will be actuated by the pullof the band` thereon, and with means for causing the band to exert'on` said looseningl device a pull sufii.- cient to fully operate the same.

A further object of` theinvention isV to provide meansl for imparting relative lateral` movements tothe bombs, or apart thereof, wl'xenreleased, to cause them toI acton the band to augment the normal pull ofthe lattercon the loosening device.

Other objects-of the invention; may appearas the device is described in detail;

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1` is a. plan View of: a fbiombi rack embodying my invention, with the bombs in position thereon; Fig. 2` is a side elevationb oil the bombrack, omitting the bombs; Fig; 3 is a front elevation: oi the bomb rack with' thebombs in place thereon; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bandI connecting and releasing device; Fig; 5 is4 a plan View of the band connecting' and releasing device; Fig; 6 is an end' elevation of the band connecting and releasing device; Fig'. '7 is a` detail' View ofthe band, partly broken away; and- Fig. 8` is' an edge-view ofthe spring for separating the bombs after they have been released.

In these drawings I have illustrated onel embodiment of' my invention and have shown the same in connection with a bomb rack adapted to support six bombs in two' clusters of three bombs each, but' itY will be understood that the invention may take various forms and may be used in connection with bomb racks of` various kinds.

The bomb rack, or cluster adapter, here illustrated' is designed for use with bombs of relatively small size, such as are known as fragmentation bombs. Such a bomb usually comprises a cylindrical body I0 having a rearwardly projecting portion il of small diameter to which are secured the vanes I2 which control the ight of the bomb. At its front end the bomb has a part i3 of small diameter in which is located the firing mechanism for controlling the explosion of the bomb, this mechanism including a rotatable device it similar in shape to av propeller, which, by its rotation, releases the firing control or fuse for operation. In that form here illustrated the bomb rack comprises a bomb positioningv device having a plurality of bomb seats arranged about a. longitudinal axis and. a band for securing the bombs thereon. The positioning device may take various forms and in the arrangement here shown, which is adapted to support, two clusters of bombs, it comprises two pairs of plates, l5 and I6 and |511. and Isa. The plates of each pair are spaced one from the other lengthwise of the bomb and are provided in their edges with outwardly facing recesses I'l, the corresponding recesses in the two plates being arranged in alinement to receive the reduced end portions of the respective `bombs, and form seats therefor, the size of the recesses and the longitudinal spacing of the plates being determined in accordance with the size of the bombs. The two plates, and inthe present instance the plates of both pairs, are rigidly connected one to the other, in the present instance by a longitudinal member, such as a rod I8, which extends through the several plates and is rigidly connected thereto, as by welding. Each plate is provided with an upwardly extending part I9, see Fig. 3, through which extends a secondl longitudinal member or rod 20 to which the plates are rigidly secured, as by welding, and which constitutes the supporting member for the bomb rack. Rigidly connected with this Supporting member are suitable attaching devices 2| having openings therethrough to receive retaining devices by means ofV which the rack may be detachably connected with a supporting structure carried by an aircraft. This supporting structure is here shown as of a type which is standard with the United States Army Air Corps and is commonly known as a bomb shackle. It is not necessary to describe the bomb shackle in detail but for the present purpose it will be noted that it comprises an elongate body 22 having means 23 whereby it may be secured to the aircraft. In its lower edges it is provided with recesses 24 adapted to receive the attaching devices 2I of the bomb rack. Pivotally mounted adjacent the recesses are hook-shaped retaining devices 25 adapted to extend into the openings in the respective attaching devices and thus support the bomb rack on the body 22 of the bomb shackle. The pivotally mounted hook-shaped devices are connected, by means not here shown, with a lever 26 by means of which they may be moved into androut of supporting engagement with the attaching devices 2|.

The bombs are releasably secured on the positioning device by means of a flexible devicegsuch as a band 21, there being in the present instance a single band for each cluster of bombs but obviously any suitable number of bands may be employed. Each band is provided with means whereby, after it has been placed about the bombs, the ends of the band may be releasably connected one with the other andvdrawn tight to firmly retain the bombs on their seats until such time as it is desired to vrelease the same. The band connecting means may take various forms and, as here shown, it comprises a body portion having means at its ends for connecting the respective ends of the band therewith. This body portion is preferably, but not necessarily, connected with a. fixed part of the rack and is here shown as rigidly securedv to the supporting member or rod 20. In the form illustrated the body portion comprises two members 28 substantially identical in shape and rigidly secured to the rod I in spaced relation one to the other, the ends of the body portion extending laterally beyond the respective sides of the supporting rod. Means are provided at each end of the body portion for connecting the respective ends of the band 21 therewith. The band is here shown as a at strap, usually of metal, and the members 28 are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the width ofthe band. In the present arrangement one of the band connecting means is operable to release the band and the other is in the nature of a permanent connection which is not released. This latter connection is shown as comprising a rotatable member, such as a bolt 29, which is rotatably mounted in suitable openings in the respective members 28, and is provided .with means, such as a nut 30 and lock washer 3 I, forlocking the same against rotation. The end portion of the band 21 is wrapped about that portion of the rotatable member 29 which lies between the members 28, this portion of the rotatable member being provided with means, for preventing the band from slipping thereon, as by flattening one side thereof. After the band has been initially placed about the rotatable member 29 the latter is rotated, as by applying a suitable wrench or the like to the head 32 thereof, to draw the band tight about the cluster of bombsythe other end of the band having'been previously connected with the other end of the body portion of the connecting device. When the band has been tightened the nut 39 is tightened down to lock the rotatable member against rotation and thus maintain the connection of the band. therewith.

At its other endv the body portion of the connecting device is provided with means for releasably connecting the corresponding end of the band therewith and, as here shown, this end o-f the body portion is provided with a pivot member having a convex bearing surface, which is preferably in the form of a pivot pin 33 Which is mounted in the members 28 and projects laterally beyond the outer sides of the respective members, and thus forms in eiect two alined pivot members o opposite sides of the connecting device. Cooperating with this pivot memberV is a lever having at one end thereof a concave bearing to pivotally engage the pivot member and also having means spaced to the rear of the bearing for connecting the end portion of the band therewith in such a manner as to positively prevent the slippage of the band with relation to the lever. The bearing for the lever is of such a character that when the lever is in its normal connecting position the band will extend close to-the line of pull of the band, thus enabling the pivot member to hold the lever against lengthwise movement while in connecting position, releasable means being provided to normally retain the member in a predetermined connecting position. When the lever is released from said retaining means it is freefor movement about the pivot pin 33 and a pull on the ,band will impart rotary movement to the lever about the Vpivot pin and after a relatively short pivoted movement the bearing will be Vpulled off of the pivot pin and the lever disconnected from the body of the connecting device, thereby freeing o-ne end of the band and releasing the bombs from the positioning device. In the particular construction illustrated the lever is in the form of an elongate plate 34 preferably bent about a transverse axis to accommodate it to the shape of the body portion of the connecting device. At its forward end, that is, the end adjacent the pivot pin 33, it is provided on each side with a longitudinal flange 35, these flanges being spaced vapart such a distance that they may Vextend downwardly on the outer sides of the members 2B of the body portion. The forward ends of the flanges project forwardly beyond the main portion vof the plate and are shaped to form open bearings 36 to engage the projectingends of the pivot pin. Each bearing has a concave bearing surface 31, the for'-` ward portion of which conforms substantially to the circumference of the pivot pin and the rear portion of which is tangential to the surface of the pivot pin, Vas shown at 38. This bearing surface extends transversely to the'leve'r and is so positioned with relationV thereto that when the lever is in its normal connecting position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, the bearing will abut-,against the pivot pin to hold the lever against lengthwise movement by the pull of the band 21, it being noted that the pivot pin lies close tothe band and adjacent to the line of pull onk the lever. The band havingbeen drawn tightly about the bombs is under considerable longitudinal tension and whenl the lever is released from its retaining 0 means the Vtension on the band is suddenly relieved,.and the band will exert a` pullfon the lever which will swing thelatter about the pivot pin and after the lever `has been moved from its H normal connecting position the band will pull 6D the bearing off the pivot pin, the tangential rear portion 38 of thebearing surface permitting the disengagement of the lever Vfrom the Divot pin after a relatively short pivotal movement of the lever, thus electing the loosening of the band 0 quickly after the lever has been released.

Ordinarily the relieving of the tension of the band, by releasing the lever, will cause the band to exert on the lever a pull suiicent to disengage the latter from the pivot pin, but, in someinstances, the pull of the band may not be suflipivot member and the latter will be adjacent the Y cient for: that purpose. It will` be understood that when. the? rackr andthe bombs are falling from the aircraft, and the lever has been released, gravity` will' cause little or no movement of the" bombs with relationto thev rack or with and. thus cause the bombsto exert an;v outward force on` the bandi and augment: the pull: of' the latteron the lever. Preferably'this spring means is. arranged between adjacent. bombsV and is held under' compression bythe bombs so long as these are: secured' tov the rack but. when the bombs are released from the'rack the spring means expands and! imparts relative lateral movements to the bombs between which: it was confined. In the present. instance I have provided a single spring for' each cluster of bombs, this spring being arranged between the two bombs which are uppermost when the rack isl supported'. in its normal position on the aircraft'. The spring is here shown, at 46, asA areversely curved spring extending lengthwise' ofthe rod between thepositioning plates |25.l and Iliand has end portions of reduced width: inserted in. slots 451 irr the respective plates and s-lidable in; those slots. When the bombs A"are secured. on the positioning meansV they will contact with ther respective sides of the spring and compress'the same, that is, flatten out the curves therein, and when the lever has been released thespring will return to its curved form and thus impartlateral movement to both'bombs and cause the. band to pull the lever oi the pivot pin. The spring is here shown as having a series oi curves but the. numberof curves is optional. The relative movement thus imparted to the bombs has the further desirable result of causing the bombs to be distributed over an area greater than that over which they would be distributed in the absence of the spring means.

Any suitable means may be provided for normally retaining the lever in its connecting position and for releasing the same as the bomb rack falls away from the aircraft. In the present instance, the members 28 of the connecting device are provided with two pairs of alined openings. When the band is to be connected it is attached to the lever, the latter placed in engagement with the pivot pin and moved to its connecting position, a cotter pin 38, or other temporary retaining device, is then inserted through one pair of openings above the lever to maintain the connection while the band is being tightened and until such time as the loaded rack is to be mounted on the aircraft. After one end of the the band has been so attached to the connecting device the other end is attached to the rotatable member 29 and the latter rotated to draw the band tightly about the bombs and then locked to retain the band in that condition, as by tightening down the nut 30. The rack remains in this condition until it is loaded onto the aircraft. After this has been done a wire 39, commonly called an arming wire, is inserted through the second pair of openings in the members 28 and the Cotter pin withdrawn, thereby placing the releasable connecting device under thelcontrol of the arming wire. This arming wire extends from the connecting device to a point adjacent the bomb shackle: where it isV connectedV with a master' auningr wire 4'0fwhich is provided with a loop-shaped portion` to receive the hook-shaped end 4I.l of alever 42. pivotally mounted on the bodyk 22E of the bomb. shackle. When, as in the present-(instance, there are two clusters of bombs, orwheremore than; one band is employed, there isal separate arming wire for each band and all these arming Wires lead to and are connected with the` master arming wire 40. This master wire is normally connected with the bomb shackle by the lever 42` and when the attaching devices 25. areV retracted andthe bomb rack drops away fromA the bomb: shackle the arming wire will be withdrawn fromV the openings in the connecting device, thereby releasing the connecting lever and permitting the same torbe disengaged from theconnecting device by the pullv Yo'fthe b-nd. It sometimes happens that it is desired to drop the loaded bomber-ack as a unit, that is, without releasing the bombs from the rack'. When this is to be done the lever' 42 is actuated to withdraw thev hook-shaped. endv thereof from the master arming Wire, thereby disconnecting the arming wire or wires from the bomb shackle so that they will. not be withdrawn as the rack drops. The drawings show bothV the arming wire and: the Cotter pin. in leverV retaining positions, which condition exists atV the time the bomb cluster is mounted on or' is about to be mounted on the aircraft, but. the cotter pin is withdrawn when the band: connecting device is to be placed under the sole; control of the-arming wire.

The end of the band may ybe connected with theY connecting lever 3.1i"` in any suitable' manner. In the present. instance the lever or plate 34 is provided, between the. flanges 35, with two slots 43 andv 442 of av widthv sufficient toreceive the end portion,- ofl the band. The bandi is connected with theflever by passing the end portion thereof first through the slot 43,v folding the same; against the underside of the lever and then extending the same through the slot 44 and folding the extreme end portion thereof onto the upper side of the lever where it will be confined between the lever and the main portion of the band. The rear wall of the slot 44 is provided at its lower edge with a sharp corner about which the band is folded, so that the band will make a sharp bend, at least a right angle and, if desired, slightly less than a right angle, thus positively preventing the band from slipping. If desired, the end portions of the band may be preformed so that the one end may be easily threaded through the slots 43 and 44 and the other end may be connected with the connecting device by withdrawing the bolt 29, inserting it through the formed end of the band, and then again mounting the bolt in the members 28.

The rack is also provided with means for normally preventing the operation 0f the devices which control the ring mechanisms for the bombs, each of which is here shown as including a propeller-like device i4. For this purpose the y positioning device is provided with a part or parts arranged in the paths of rotation of the blades of these controlling devices so that the blades will be held normally against rotation but will be released for rotation as soon as the bombs move out of engagement with the rack. For this purpose the rod I8 is extended beyond the foremost positioning plate 15a and if the blades are of sufficient length, those on the front cluster of bombs will engage the front portion of the rod i8 and those on the rear cluster of bombs `will Vengage the intermediate'portionY of that rod.

When, as here shown, vthe blades are f relatively short length the rod is provided, in front of the plates I 5 and l5a with a plurality of short blades d5 extending lengthwise thereof and rigidly secured to the rod and to the respective plates, and Vof such width that they extend into the paths of rotation of the blades of the respective controlling devices I4 and thus prevent. the rotation thereof so long as the bombs are secured tothe rack,

yWhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my` invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details thereofA as various modifications may occur to a Aperson skilled in the art. Y

Y Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A device for connecting the ends of the supporting band of a bomb cluster adapter, comprising a body portion, means. adjacent one end of said body portion for connecting one end of said band therewith and for tightening said band about said cluster of bombs, a pivot pin secured to said body portion adjacent the other end thereof on the inner side of said band and having a convex surface, a lever supported normally in a connecting` position lengthwise of said body portion, having means for connecting the other end of said band therewith between the ends thereof and having at one end thereof a concave bearing surface engaging said pivot pin to pivotally and detachably connect'said lever with said body portion, and releasable means to hold said lever normally against pivotal movement, said bearing surface being arranged with relation to said pivot pin to prevent the longitudinal movement of said lever by the pull of said band and to permit said lever to be moved about and separated from said pivot pin by the pull of saidband when said lever is released f-or pivotal movement, said concave surface of? said V-lever 'comprising an arcuate portion of'substantially lless than and a tangential portion extending rearwardly from said arcuate portionA to facili'- tate the separation of said lever from said pivot pin, Y'

2. A device for connecting the ends of the supporting band of a bomb cluster adapter, cornprising a body portion including two laterally spaced members rigidly connected one with the other, a pivot pin mounted adjacent one end of said body portion on the inner side of said band and extending outwardly beyond the respective members, the projecting ends'of said pin having convex surfaces, means adjacent the other end of said body portion for connecting one end of said b-and therewith and for tightening'the same Y about said cluster of bombs, a lever extending lengthwise of said body portion and having at one end thereof and on opposite sidesj of said body portion parts extending outwardly across and in contact with the respective end portions Vof said pivot pin to pivotally and detachably conlne'ct said lever with said body portion, each of saidV parts having a recess to receive the adjacent portion of said pin and including a relatively short portion concentric with said convex surface of said pivot pin and a non-concentric portion extending rearwardly from said concentric portion, said lever having between the ends thereof means for connecting the other end of said band therewith, said connecting means being so positioned that the line of pull of said band on said lever is on the outer side of said pivot pin, and releasable means normally preventing the movement of'said lever by the pull of said band, whereby when'said lever is released for movement the pull of said band thereon will move the same about said pivot pin and then disengage the lever from said pin. 1'

' GEORGE H.`LELAND. 

